Dairy
Milk does not contain tannin, but some dairy products contain tannin additives. For example, cheese contains rennet and salt (table salt contains additives, Himalayan salt does not and does not contain tannin)
Fresh cream does not contain anything other than milk; therefore, it is tannin-free, but long-life cream contains soya lecithin and gums, so it is not tannin-free.
Grains
- Barley
- Rye
- Corn
- Quinoa
- Millet
- Sorghum
- Red rice (I’m not sure).
Pulses
- All pulses
- Soya bean products (including tofu, miso, soya milk, flour, and lecithin).
Some other websites say white beans, chickpeas, and mung beans are very low in tannin, but they all trigger symptoms for me but maybe not for others less sensitive.
Nuts (and their oils)
- Hazelnuts
- Walnuts
- Brazils
- Cashews
- Pecans
- Pistachio
- Pine nuts
- Chestnuts
- Peanuts with skins
- Almonds with skins
Peanuts without skins, almonds without skins (blanched), and macadamias without skins only contain minute amounts of tannin, but I would avoid them for the elimination diet. They might trigger symptoms if you are very sensitive.
If you prove to have a tannin intolerance and you want to eat blanched almonds (i.e. without skins) and peanuts without skins, I suggest you soak them overnight to remove any traces of tannin.
Seeds (and their oils)
- Sunflower
- Sesame
- Chia
- Pumpkin
- Linseed
- Sprouted seeds (alfalfa, mung, etc.)
Rapeseed oil does not contain tannin.
Olive oil does not contain tannin, but olives in brine do.
Avoid all seeds for the diet, but the olive and rapeseed oil will be fine.
Vegetables
- Onion
- Tomato
- Cucumber
- Corn (and cornflour)
- Broad bean, french bean, etc
- Peas, manage tout, etc
- Pumpkin
- Squash
- Rocket (is a herb)
- Peppers
- Okra
- Alfalfa
- Sprouted seeds and pulses
Herbs
All of the well-known common herbs used in cooking and herbal teas [contain tannin]. There may be some less well-known, tannin-free herbs, but you will have to test them out for yourself.
Avoid all herbs during the diet.
Spices
All of the commonly used spices [contain tannin], but some less well-known spices may be tannin free. You will have to test them out for yourself.
Avoid all spices during the diet.
Black pepper does not contain tannin.
If you do a tannin elimination diet and discover you have an intolerance, you can then test out more unusual herbs and spices, those used in Ayurveda and Chinese medicine, for example, if and when you need to use them.
Fruits and juices
- All berries
- Apples with red skins (some green apples also have a hint of red colour and therefore tannin, so they need peeling)
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Kiwis
- Papaya
- Pears with red skins (beware of slight red colouring)
- Pomegranates
- Plums
- Blackcurrants
- Gooseberries
- Rhubarb
- Dried fruits
- Passion fruit
- Persimmons
- Peaches
- Nectarines
- Apricots
I have not tested the more unusual, exotic fruits like lychee, star fruit, Sharon fruit, etc.
Most fruits contain tannin except oranges, lemons, limes (the rind might have it, though), green apples (some green apples have a hint of red colour on them so will need to be peeled), melons (except water melon-because of the seeds), and pineapple. I’m unsure about mangoes; I will test them out and update the site later.
Miscellaneous
- Coffee and decaf coffee
- Black tea and decaf black tea
- Green tea and decaf green tea
- Rooibos
- All herbal teas. One site says camomile is tannin free, but I disagree.
- Chocolate
- Tobacco
- Smoked fish or meat, dyed fish or meat
- There are too many E numbers, monosodium glutamates, gums, acids, etc., to test out and mention, and I just avoid them all when eating a tannin-free diet.
- Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda
- Table salt has anti-caking agents that contain tannin
- Sea salt contains pollution from the sea, some of which contains tannin
- Himalayan salt is OK and does not contain tannin (thankfully)
Alcoholic drinks
- Red and rose wines
- White wines (you might be able to tolerate white wine low in tannin if you are less sensitive).
- Beer
- Cider
- Whiskey
- Port
- Sherry
- Bacardi
- Brandy
- Gin
There are too many different types of alcohol to test out and list here.
The only alcoholic drinks I know that don’t contain tannin are certain vodkas and some meads, but only if they are made with tannin-free ingredients.
There is a brand of vodka available in the UK which is made purely from milk, and a Welsh company makes mead with just honey and water.
Homemade wine made with tannin-free ingredients should also be tannin-free so long as it isn’t fermented in oak barrels. Oak is high in tannin, and all alcoholic drinks fermented/brewed in barrels will contain oak tannin.
Do not drink any alcohol during the elimination diet.
Soft drinks
I will be updating this section soon. In the meantime, homemade lemonade and fresh orange juice mixed with carbonated water and sugar make great tannin-free alternatives to soft drinks.
Cosmetics etc.
Moisturizers, lip balm, body lotions, suncream, makeup (foundation, lipstick, etc.), cream/spray deodorants, and toothpaste contain tannin. Moisturizers etc., are absorbed into the bloodstream when applied to the skin. Brushing teeth without toothpaste is as effective as brushing with it (I have researched this online). If you do have a tannin intolerance and choose to follow the same kind of tannin-free diet that I follow (see Reducing Symptoms), you can use toothpaste on the days you eat tannin.
The hard crystal deodorants you run under the tap before use are tannin-free and very effective.
As for suncream, sometimes we can’t avoid using it, so I suggest you accept that you will have symptoms the day after using it. If you only use it in the mornings, your afternoons (the following days) can still be symptom-free. Remember, there are supplements you can take to reduce your symptoms. Suncream tends to be thick and sits on the skin, so rub it in thoroughly to avoid extending the symptoms (the following day) longer than necessary. And if you are going to have symptoms from the sun cream, you might as well eat food containing tannin as well, as you will have symptoms anyway.
AVOID USING ALL MOISTURISERS, ETC, DURING THE DIET.